The Structure, Stability, and Social Antecedents of Reported Paranormal Experiences

Using national sample data from the General Social Surveys, this study assesses cultural source theories of reported paranormal experiences. The reported paranormal experiences of extrasensory perception, clairvoyance, contact with the dead, and mysticism, but not déjà vu, are found to have an invariant and stable factor structure across the 1984, 1988, and 1989 General Social Survey data. Déjà vu is more frequent among younger and more highly educated respondents, but it is unaffected by sex, race, income, marital status, and religious preference differences. Other reported paranormal experiences are higher among women but are unaffected by age, race, education, income, marital status, and religious preference differences. The effects of age and education on déjà vu and the effect of sex on other reported paranormal experiences are consistent across 1984, 1988, and 1989 General Social Survey data. The findings of this study suggest that cultural source theories and deprivation theory have little empirical support in explaining reported paranormal experiences.